Closing Film: For Those In Peril

In a remote Scottish fishing community, Aaron is the lone survivor of a strange boat accident that claimed five lives, including his older brother. Driven by local folklore and superstition, the village blames Aaron, making him an outcast amongst his own people. Refusing to believe his brother is dead, Aaron sets out to recover him and the others.

Mourning the loss of one son and losing her grip on the other is Cathy, played by Kate Dickie – a stalwart of the some of Scotland’s best recent dramas (Red Road, Donkeys). She is matched here by George MacKay’s remarkable and understated performance, in which he has relatively little dialogue but is rarely off screen. MacKay is now widely tipped as one to watch, for his performance here and in upcoming releases Sunshine on Leith and Bypass, a North East production by Duane Hopkins.

Alongside these powerful performances, the location plays a character of its own. While the rural isolation of this small east coast highland town is pictured in social realist tones, it becomes the setting for supernatural vengeance – as Aaron’s mind starts to play tricks on him, the village does too. For Those In Peril is a fantastical tall tale of survivor’s guilt gone mad.

The screening is followed by a Q&A with lead actor George MacKay, fresh from screening not one but two films at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival, hosted by film producer Samm Haillay.

*Please note this film has recently been given a BBFC 18 certificate, NOT a suggested 15 as noted in the Programme Guide. Apologies for this.

“It’s a film of rare ambition, one that marks Wright out as a talent to watch.”

- Alastair Harkness, The Scotsman

Director’s Profile:

Paul Wright studied film at Glasgow’s RSAMD. His first film, Hikikomori, won a Scottish BAFTA for Best New Work in 2007. He won the Locarno’s Golden Leopard for Best International Short with his short Believe and in 2010 another short, Photos of God, was selected for Berlin. In 2011 he won a second BAFTA for Best Short with Until the River Runs Red. For Those in Peril is Wright’s first feature and debuted at Cannes this year.